Baseball's brightest stars are ready to make their appearance. With the 2013 season opening next week, take a look at the 25 best the game has to offers. Among them: Ryan Braun, Justin Verlander and Mike Trout.
(Paul Nisely/SN Illustration; AP Photos)

The only negative about Trout's historic rookie season in 2012 (129 runs, 49 stolen bases, 30 homers, .963 OPS) is that he might have set the bar too high in his bid for an encore performance. Making the AL rookie of the year AL MVP runner-up more dangerous this season: He will play a full season in the majors and will hit ahead of Albert Pujols and Josh Hamilton. (Alex Gallardo/AP)

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After winning the pitching Triple Crown in 2011 (as well as the AL MVP and AL Cy Young Awards), Verlander merely led the majors in strikeouts, complete games and innings pitched in 2012. Since 2009, no pitcher has more wins (78) or strikeouts (977), or a better WHIP (1.08). Verlander's next no-hitter — and there will be at least one more — will be his third. Only three others pitchers have three or more. (Carlos Osorio/AP)

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Since his rookie of the year campaign in 2007, Braun ranks third in the majors in slugging percentage (.568), sixth in homers (202), seventh in RBIs (643) and eighth in batting average (.313). Plus, he has produced consecutive 30-30 seasons. Perhaps most impressive: Braun's homer and RBI totals increased last season, despite Prince Fielder no longer offering lineup protection. Impossible to ignore, however, is the PED stain on his resume. (Jeffrey Phelps/AP)

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Even after winning the majors’ first Triple Crown in 45 seasons, Cabrera had to listen to WAR mongers explain why he wasn’t worthy of the AL MVP Award, which he ultimately won by a large margin over the Angels’ Mike Trout. He never will win a Gold Glove or tease double digits in stolen bases, but Cabrera is arguably the game’s best hitter. He has won back-to-back AL batting titles, in addition to leading the majors in slugging percentage (.606) and OPS (.999) in 2012. (Carlos Osorio/AP)

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Setting himself up for a huge payday after this season, Cano has turned in four consecutive seasons with at least 40 doubles, 25 homers, a .300 average and 100 runs. And after winning his second Gold Glove in 2012, there also are no questions about his defensive prowess. Cano was named the MVP of the just-completed World Baseball Classic and soon could add an AL MVP Award—or an NL MVP Award, depending where he plays after this season—to his trophy case. (Kathy Willens/AP)

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The 2010 NL MVP was putting up award-worthy numbers again in 2012 before suffering a knee injury that required two surgeries. Despite missing 51 games, Votto still led the NL in walks (94) and tied for the major league lead in intentional passes (18). His .474 on-base percentage also led the majors, and it was the third consecutive season he led the NL on OBP. (Al Behrman/AP)

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The righthander became the game’s highest-paid pitcher ($25 million annual value) this past offseason. Despite winning more than 15 games only once and never leading the AL in strikeouts, Hernandez is the definition of ace. His 16 complete games since 2010 are one off Roy Halladay’s major league lead, and only CC Sabathia has pitched more innings since 2008. The 2010 AL Cy Young Award winner also tossed a perfect game last season. (Ted S. Warren/AP)

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Slowed by shoulder and hamstring injuries in 2012, Kemp didn’t have a chance to deliver the 50-50 season he forecast. Considering he hit 39 homers and stole 40 bases in 2011, however, that never-before-reached milestone is within reach. His left (non-throwing) shoulder now surgically repaired, the two-time Gold Glove winner will have plenty run-producing opportunities in a loaded lineup this season. (Jae C. Hong/AP)

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The three-time NL MVP and nine-time NL All-Star labored through the worst season of his career in 2012, his first season with Los Angeles. And it still was a season (.285/.343/.516, 30 homers, 105 RBIs) that would rank as many players’ finest. In his 12-season major league career, Pujols never has finished with fewer than 30 homers, only twice has finished with fewer than 100 runs and only once has finished with fewer than 100 RBIs. And now he has Mike Trout and Josh Hamilton hitting around him. (Chris Carlson/AP)

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The 2011 NL Cy Young Award winner led the NL in ERA (2.53), WHIP (1.02) and hits per nine innings (6.7) for the second consecutive season in 2012, finishing as the Cy Young Award runner-up. Over the past two seasons—both of which were All-Star seasons—the lefthander ranks first in the majors in ERA (2.40), second in strikeouts (477) and batting average against (.208), and fourth in innings pitched (461). (Jae C. Hong/AP)

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Arguably the Comeback Player of All-Time, Hamilton finished fifth in the AL MVP voting last season despite hearing boos from the Rangers faithful late in the season. The 2010 AL MVP and AL batting champion, Hamilton ranks in the top 10 in the majors in RBIs (506), batting average (.305) and slugging percentage (.549) since 2008. Now flanked by Mike Trout and Albert Pujols, Hamilton’s biggest obstacle remains his health. (Gregory Bull/AP)

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Bouncing back famously from gruesome season-ending ankle and leg injuries in 2011, Posey won the NL batting title in 2012 (and the 2012 NL Comeback Player of the Year Award). Of course, he also won his second World Series championship in the past three seasons and his first NL MVP Award. The 2010 NL rookie of the year also led the majors with a 172 OPS plus last season. (Jack Dempsey/AP)

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An All-Star the past two seasons, McCutchen led the NL in hits (194) in 2012 and won his first Gold Glove. He set career bests in batting average (.327), on-base percentage (.400), slugging percentage (.553), homers (31), runs (107) and RBIs (96). McCutchen also has stolen at least 20 bases in each of his four major league seasons. (Gene J. Puskar/AP)

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Cain has been the definition of consistency since 2009, ranking third in the NL in wins (55), fourth in ERA (2.93) and fifth in strikeouts (720) in that period. Still, he doesn't have a top-five finish in the Cy Young voting. What he does have, however, is a 2.10 postseason ERA (and two World Series rings) and a perfect game (with 14 strikeouts). (Mark Duncan/AP)

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The four-time Gold Glove winner finished third in the AL MVP voting (ahead of then-teammate Josh Hamilton) last season after hitting .321/.359/.561 with 36 homers and 102 RBIs. Since 2010, Beltre ranks in the top 10 in the majors in homers (96), RBIs (309) and slugging percentage (.558). (Tony Gutierrez/AP)

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His AL-leading 20 wins and 2.56 ERA resulted in his first AL Cy Young Award last season. The big question — other than whether Tampa Bay can afford to keep him — is how much better Price can be. The lefthander ranks fourth in wins (51), ninth in ERA (2.93) and strikeouts, and 10th in innings (644) since 2010. (Mike Carlson/AP)

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The 2010 and 2011 major league home run king hit "only" 27 long balls last season because of a wrist injury that limited him to 92 games. That came on the heels of a season in which Bautista also led the majors in OPS (1.056) and walks (132). With Jose Reyes now atop the lineup, a third 100-RBI effort in the past four seasons seems likely. (Matt Slocum/AP)

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The team's opening day starter this season has finished with a double-digit win total in each of the past six seasons, and he topped 200 innings in four of them. Hamels' 216 strikeouts last season were a career best, and his 82 wins and 1,162 strikeouts since 2007 both rank in the top six in the majors. (Ross D. Franklin/AP)

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The winner of the past five NL Gold Gloves at catcher, Molina has become almost as dangerous at the plate as he is behind it (he has thrown out 45 percent of would-be base stealers in his career). Molina set career highs last season with 22 homers, 76 RBIs, a .315 average, .373 on-base percentage and .501 slugging percentage. (Tom Gannam/AP)

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For the sixth consecutive season, Fielder hit the 30-homer plateau in 2012, while also topping 100 RBIs for the fifth time in that span. He also has been the poster boy for durability, having missed one game in the past four seasons. Fielder, who leads the majors with 230 homers since 2007, also hit a career-high .313 in 2012. (David J. Phillip/AP)

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In parts of three major league seasons — he has yet to pitch a full season, as you might have heard — Strasburg has struck out 11.2 batters per nine innings. At the time of his shutdown last season, only five pitchers had more wins (15) than Strasburg, and only three had more strikeouts (197). (David J. Phillip/AP)

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Arguably possessing the best pure power in the game, Stanton topped matched or topped all of his 2011 numbers last season despite playing in 27 fewer games because of a knee injury. His .608 slugging percentage led the majors, and his 37 homers were four behind NL leader Ryan Braun. (Jeff Roberson/AP)

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He made his second All-Star team and won his second Gold Glove last season, when he set career highs in homers (32), average (.287), slugging percentage (.505), runs (103) and stolen bases (16). Jones finished sixth in the AL MVP voting and fifth in WAR (5.2). (Chris O'Meara/AP)

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When healthy — and he was in 2012 — few are better at the leadoff spot than Reyes. He ranks second in the majors in stolen bases (378) since 2005, and he is one season removed from an NL batting title. In a loaded Toronto lineup, Reyes should be a run-scoring machine. (Matt Slocum/AP)

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He leads the majors in saves over the past two seasons with 88, and his 15.9 strikeouts per nine innings in his three-year major league career is the game's best mark. Kimbrel didn't allow more than one hit or one run in any of his 63 appearances last season while posting a microscopic 0.65 WHIP. (David Tulis/AP)